Master Food Preservers: A Uniquely American Qualification

A Master Food Preserver appears to be a certification offered uniquely in America.

A Master Food Preserver is a person who goes out into the community as a volunteer to help train other people how to safely preserve food at home.

To become a Master Food Preserver, a person receives extensive, in-person training in the latest technology and information available in the field of home food preservation. This is done either in a block of all-day sessions, or over a period of weeks and months. In return, this person agrees to become an ongoing volunteer in the field of safe home preserving through their local University’s Extension office, doing tasks such as “answering phone calls, developing and hosting exhibits, judging at competitions, etc.” 1

The fine details of the agreement may vary by state. For instance, with the University of California, you “commit to completing 30 volunteer hours and 15 continuing education hours every year.” 2

The courses that a Master Food Preserver candidate takes are “train the trainer” courses. You don’t just learn now to can safely as an end user. You learn the why, what resources to use to keep up to date, and how to go out and “spread the gospel” of safe canning.

Seattle

British Columbia

In British Columbia, there appears to be a “Produce Preservation Program.” It is offered at two-levels: a regular end-user, student level, and a “train the trainer” level. It is jointly sponsored by the Government of British Columbia, and the BC Food Processors Association. More information.

Background information about the program

The University Cooperative Extension Services offer the Master Food Preserver programs through state or county-run offices. Elizabeth Andress, head of the National Center for Home Food Preservation, was interviewed about the program:

Extension sees a master program as volunteer development,” explained Elizabeth Andress. “In exchange for this intensive training and constant updating and education, we consider the people we train as volunteers who will then give something back to Extension, whether it be manning exhibits, writing newspaper columns, taking phone calls in the office or whatever.” Andress sees the expectations of the master programs as one of a kind, in that the volunteers are invested in sharing their information and developing community knowledge on the subject. She understands why, because of budget constraints, many extension offices are dropping their Master Food Preservers certification programs.

“You can’t run a Master Food Preserver program in your state if you don’t have the expertise to back it up and answer people’s questions and train them appropriately,” she said. Her state has 159 counties, but only 35 family and consumer science agent positions serving them.

“I have lots of individuals calling me, (and saying) our extension office no longer offers Master Food Preserver, or there’s no agent in our county, so I’m teaching classes, which I think is great and shows the interest,” said Andress. “Sometimes I’m a little bit concerned about what they’re teaching because obviously, me being in the job I’m in, I really care that people teach the best practices with some research-based recommendations and don’t just proliferate what people did 80 years ago.” 4

History of the Master Food Preserver Program

The Master Food Preserver program started in the second half of the 1970s.

Washington State was offering it by 1976.

Pennsylvania joined the program in 1988, under the direction of Dr Gerald Kuhn, who also pioneered the first USDA Complete Guide.

In the late 1990s, many areas cancelled the program owing to lack of interest: “In 1997, the LA County program had just nine students; citing lack of interest, the University of California Cooperative Extension office canceled the program.” 5

The Master Food Preservers program has since been revived in some areas in pace with the revived interest in home canning.

In Colorado, it’s been called ” Master Food Safety Advisor” since 2006.

“Another organization that’s taking on the business of teaching people to safely can is Seattle Tilth, a gardening education group that is now offering a Master Food Preserver Course. Extension offices stopped offering Master Food Preserver courses in Western Washington, and Seattle Tilth got permission to use the term, and offer its own certification. A pilot course last year was successful.” Halloran, Amy. Preserving the Art of Canning Safely at Home. Seattle, Washington: Food Safety News. 26 April 2011. Accessed March 2015. Note that sometime after 2011, however, Seattle Tilth changed the name of the course to “Certified Food Preserver.” ↩